Internal-combustion engine



' F. 0. GUERRLICHL INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAYI7. 1918.

1,346, l 23. Patent d July 13, 1920.

j v 14 t 3 L em fi INVENTOR.

W1 TNESSES- I mmm. Mm

PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK C. GUERRLICH, 0F STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be-it known that I, FREDERICK C. GUERR- LIGH, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Stamford, in the county of Fairfield and Stateof Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inInternal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to improvements in internal combustlonenglnes. The invention finds one advantageous use in aeronautic enginesin that means are provided which render the internal combustion enginemore reliable and satisfactory for aeronautic service. The invention is,however, capable of other and advantageous uses, as will later appear.

It is well known that aeroplane engines are subject to seriousdifficulties which are caused by the variations in atmospheric pressureencountered while the aeroplane is in flight. The high altitudesattained and the rapid transitions from high to lower altitudes causelarge and at times rapid variations in the pressure and density of theair supplied to the engine. Not only do these barometric changes causeirregularity in the running of the engine, but there is a serious lossof power when the aeroplane is in the higher altitudes, due to thelowered degrees of compression and the fact that decreased weights offuel mixture are supplied to the en ine. This invention is concerned,among ot er things, with the elimination of the difiiculties heretoforeencountered in aeronautic motors.

The invention has for its broad object to provide means whereby the airand fuel supplied to an internal combustion engine may be maintainedconstant at any desired predetermined pressure and density, irrespectiveof variations in atmospheric pressure.

Another object of the invention is to provide in combination with aninternal combustion engine and adequate mechanical pumping means todeliver air to the carbureter of the engine, a relief valve to maintainthe pressure and density of the pumped air constant, the valve beingcharacterized in that entrapped air is utilized as the force to hold thevalve in closed position and in that variations in atmosphericconditions are prevented from affecting the operation of the valve.

Another object of the invention is the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 13, 1920.

Application filed May 17, 1918. Serial No. 235,148.

provision of power-operated pumping means 1n combination with the engineand its carbureter for the purpose of increasing the power obtainablefrom the engine without varying its dimensions. Other objects andadvantages will appear n the following description and in theillustrative embodiment of the invention in the accompanying drawings,in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of an internalcombustion engine.

embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; A s

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the pressure regulator shown inFig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary .sectional view showing a modification of theregulator; and

F 1g. 5 1s a fragmentary sectional view ghpwlng a further modificationof the regua or.

Referring to these drawings in detail and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2:A represents an internal combustion engine of any suitable type, and theinvention is, in the main, independent of the particular constructionaldetails of the parts of engine A. It will therefore suffice to statethat the cylinders, pistons, piston rods, crankshaft and crank case ofthe engine are represented in illustrative form by reference letters 5,0, d, e and 7, respectively. The intake manifold of the engine isindicated at g, and h is a suitable carbureter connected to manifold g.

Carbureter h is supplied with fuel by suitable means (not shown) throughan inlet pipe 11, preferably fitted with a non-return valve k, and withair by means of an inlet P P J- According to my invention, I provide anair-tight inclosure for the carbureter, h, as a casing 6, and all theparts which pass through the casing are arranged so as to prevent theinflow or outflow of air to or from the latter. Thus, pipe 2' and theoperating rod j of the 'carbureter throttle valve enter the casingthrough suitable stuiiingboxes 7 and 8, respectively, and the jointbetween the intake manifold g and easing 6 may be sealed by a gasket 9.In order to supply air to the intake j, a pipe 10 is connected at oneend to casing 6 and at the other end to suitable mechanical pumpingmeans. Obviously, such means may be of any desired type, and, merely byway of tons being arranged to cooperate with the crank case for thispurpose. Thus, the crank case f is divided by partitions is, into aplurality of compartments Z, one for each cylinder 6 of the engine, toform pump cylin'ders. Each compartment Z is provided with an air intakevalve, conventionally indicated at 11 (Fig. 2), which valve opens bysuction on the upstroke of piston ,c to admit air into the compartment.The pipe 10, de-

scribed, is connected, as indicated in Figs. 1

and 2, vto each of the compartments Z, and in each of the connections isan outwardlyopening non-return valve, conventional y .indicated at 12.It will thus be seen that on the down-stroke of each piston, air, takeninto compartments Z on the up-stroke of the pistons, will be compressedand.- delivered through pipe 10 to the casing 6 and thus to carbureter71. Obviously, the capacity of the pumping means described may readilybe made anything desired by variation of the proportions illustrated. 7

It is desired to maintain the air in casing 6 at a constantpredetermined pressure and density, irrespective of pressure variationsoutside the casing. .To accomplish this result, a pressure regulator Bis associated with pipe 10 as'indicated in Fig. 1. The regulator is.best shown in, and will be described in connection with, its separateillustration in Fig. 3. The regulator B is provided with two spacedcompartments 13 and 14, the former being always in com-. munication withpipelO, as shown. Intermediate the chambers 13 and 14 is a chamand thelatter constitutes a cylinder in which a piston18 on the stem of valve17 may move. The piston 18 is arranged to be acted upon by a constantpressure to hold valve 17 in the closed position illustrated.

Preferably, this constant pressure is obtained by a body of airentrapped in the upper portion of a chamber 19 which at all timescommunicates with chamber 14. The lower parts of chambers 14 and 19 may,as illustrated, receive a body of oil or the like, the arrangement beingsuch that the oil acts as a transmitting medium between the entrappedbody of air and piston 18 and functions as an oil seal to prevent theescape of the entrapped air past the piston. WVhile the oil seal isdesirable, it is not absolutely essential and is illustrated merely as asimple means for preventing the escape of the entrapped air. Chamber 19is provided with a pet-cock 20 which is normally closed and is providedsolely for the purpose of admitting air to the chamber, as will later apear.

t is particularly to be noted that the adjacent faces of valve-17 andpiston 18 are both exposed to atmospheric pressure, and

in order to remove, atmosphericpressure as a factor in the operation ofthe pressure regulator, the area of the under face of valve 17 is madeequal to that of the upper face of'piston 18. Thus, atmospheric pres-.

sure acts equally on valve 17 and piston 18 and in opposite directions,so that the re= sultant effect is zero. The area of the upper face ofvalve 17 relative to the area of the lower face of piston 18 isvnotimportant as it has no eifect upon the maintenance of a pear, with airat substantially normal atmospheric pressure.

The operation of the pressure regulator will now be described. Thepet-cock 20 is opened while valve 17 is held in closed position, wherebyair may be admitted into the upper part of chamber 19. After the petcook20 has been closed, it will be apparent that valve 17 will open as soonas the pressure in pipe 10 exceeds a predetermined value, which issubstantially that existing in chamber 19, but not exactly in theillustrated embodiment of the invention due to the slight difference inarea between the effective top face of valve 17 and the bottom face ofthe piston 18. The valve is opened by the moving force of the pressurein the inclosure 6 when it is greater than the pressure of the movingforce in the ,chamber 19, and closed by the moving force of the pressurein the chamber 19 when it is the greater.

Obviously, the valve may be made to open at-any other predeterminedpressure, as desired. For example, the pressure at which valve 17 willopen may be increased inmany ways, as for example, by inserting a spring21 between the lower face of valve 17 and the spider 22, which guidesthe stem of valve 17, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. Obviously,

the pressure at which valve 17 will open may be also increased byadmitting compressed air into chamber 19, and similarly, if it isdesired to have valve 17 open at less than atmospheric pressure, apartial vacuum may be created in chamber 19. A spring, as 25 in Fig. 5,may be arranged to hold valve 17 in closed position, but unless suchspring arranged in an absolute vacuum, there is still entrapped airoperating in addition to the spring to hold valve 17 in closed position.In the event of an absolute vacuum, which as to connect the interior ofthe chamber with the external air of lower density and permit the airwithin the chamber to escape so as to maintain the internal densitysubstantially constant.

The regulator finds one advantageous use in connection with aeronauticengines. Thus, the aviator may fill chamber 19, as described, when theaeroplane is on the ground. Thereafter-he can rest assured that the air,as well as the fuel, supplied to his engine will be kept undersubstantially the same pressure and density conditions as exist at sealevel, irrespective of the variations in atmospheric pressure whichobtain while the aeroplane is in flight.

An important feature of the regulator consists in the arrangementwhereby entrapped air is utilized as a force to hold the valve 17 inclosed position. The entrapped air functions like a spring to yieldinglyhold the valve in closed position and has the ad- \vantage of being asimple but accurate means to obtain the desired pressure (usually thesea level pressure of the atmosphere) on the valve. Furthermore, theregulator mayrreadily be made to open at other than the sea levelpressure of the atmosphere by simply admitting air at the desiredpressure to chamber 19. The use of entrapped air as the force toyieldingly hold the valve in closed position has therefore an advantageover a spring in that the action of a relief valve held closedby aspring alone would be affected by variations in atmospheric pressure."

'The invention is,l" however, capable of other and advantageous nses.For example, the compressioniofthe'air prior to its delivery to thecarbureter necessarily results in heating the air, andthe heat' impartedmay be varied according to the degree of compression, which, ashas beenshown, may .be made of any degree desired. The useful effect of heatingthe air prior to delivery to the carbureter, acts, as is well known, to

facilitate vaporization of the fuel. This desirable result is obtainedin a different manner than heretofore and 1n a manner whlch isparticularly desirable since other advantageous results are coupled withit.

Some of such useful results have been already pointed out. It has beenshown that the compressor and its pressure regulator may be arranged tosupply air at a pressure greater than that of the atmosphere. Thus, isafforded a means for charging the engine with a fuel mixture atincreased pressures, which necessarily results in increased power froman engine of given dimensions, since increased weights of fuel may bedrawn in and increased compression of fuel obtained. The air beforebeing taken into the engine may be cooled by any suitable means, and inthe present embodiment of the invention it is cooled to a degree by thevaporization of the fuel, sothat the heat due to compression by thepumping means is converted into heat for vaporization with obviouslyuseful results.

Thus, I have provided in an internal combustion engine a means formaintaining the constituents of the fuel mixture at a constant pressure.and density irrespective of barometric variations and a means wherebythe pressure can be conveniently maintained constant at substantiallythe pressure of the atmosphere at sea level, or any other de-' siredpressure.

The invention has been described herein in vary in density, means forsupplying air I under pressure thereto, a valve for controlling thedensity of the air in said inclosure, a second inclosure containingentrapped air and having a movable wall mechanically connected to saidvalve and acting to control the opening and closing of said valve so asto confine the variation in the density of said air to narrow limitsindependently of variations in atmospheric pressure.

3. An inclosure containing air tending to vary in density and having aport adapted to connect the air within said inclosure with external air,a valve controlling said port, and cans for controlling the opening andclosing of said valve, said means comprising a chamber containingentrapped air at a predetermined pressure and having a movable wallmechanically connected to said valve.

' 4. An inclosure containing air tending to vary in density and having aport adapted to connect the air within said inclosure with "to connectthe interior of said inclosure with external air of lower densi y, anoutwardly opening valve normally closing said port and tending to openwhen the density within said inclosure exceeds a predetermined amount,and means for closing said valve comprising a chamber containingentrapped air at a predetermined pressure and having a movable wallmechanically connected to said valve, the movement of said -wall beingdetermined by the variations in density in said inclosure, and means forsupplying air under pressure to said inclosure independently of saidport.

(5. The combination of an inclosure for supplying air to an internalcombustion engine and having a port opening to external air of lowerdensity, a second inclosure containing an entrapped gaseous body, and avalve for said support whose movements are controlled by the resultantof the actions of the gaseous pressures within said two inclosures.

7. The combination of an inclosure for supplying air to an internalcombustion engine, a second inclosure containing an entrapped gaseousbody, a relief valve for said first inclosure, whose operation iscontrolled by the resultant of the actions of the gaseous pressureswithin said two inclosures.

8. Controlling means for an inclosure supplied with air, comprising avalve opening to external air of lower density, a separate inclosurecontaining an entrapped gaseous body and having a movable portionmechanically connected to said valve and actuated by the moving force ofair pressure Within said first inclosure and the moving force of thepressure of said gaseous body, said forces being exerted in oppositedirections parallel with the line of movement of said portion.

9. Controlling means for an inclosure supplied with air comprising avalve seat and valve for said inclosure, a separate inclosure containinga confined gaseous body and a movable member connected to said valve andactuated by the moving force of pressure of the air within said firstinclosure and the moving force of pressure of said gaseous body, saidforces being exerted in opposite directions, said second inclosurehaving a portion in the form of a cylinder and said member having aportion in the form of a piston fitting therein, and a liquid sealbetween said piston and said confined gaseous body.

10. Controlling means for an inclosure supplied with air comprising avalve seat and valve for said inclosure, a separate inclosure containinga confined gaseousbody and a movable member connected to said valve andactuated by the moving force of pressure of the air within said firstinclosure and the moving force of pressure,.-of said gaseous body, saidforces being exerted on said member in opposite directions parallel withthe line of movement of said member,

said valve and said member having a common axis and moving in adirection parallel to said axis;

11. Controlling means for an inclosure supplied with air comprising avalve seat and valve for said inclosure, a separateinclosure containinga confined gaseous body and a movable member connected to said valve andactuated by the moving force of pressure of the air within said firstinclosure and the moving force of pressure of said gaseous body, saidpressures resulting in said forces being exerted on said member inopposite directions parallel With the line of movement of said member,the surfaces of said member subject to said opposing pressures beingapproximately equal in area.

12. The combination with an internal combustion engine, of apower-operated compressor arranged to produce pressure of the air at theair inlet, controlling means exposed to atmospheric pressure to maintainsuch air at a predetermined pressure for a given atmospheric pressure,and means for preventing variations in the pressure of the atmospherefrom affecting said controlling means and the air supplied to saidengine.

13. Means for supplying air at approximately constant pressure tointernal combustion engines at varying altitudes, comprising thecombination of an inclosure for air whose pressure tends to vary,poweroperated means for supplying air thereto, a relief valve for saidinclosure, adapted to connect the interior of said first inclosure withthe atmosphere, means for exerting a 7 closing force on said reliefvalve at a predetermined atmospheric pressure, and means forautomatically varying the valve closing force inversely as theatmospheric pressure varies.

14. A relief valve, comprising a casing having a passage for connectionto a supply pipe, a chamber at all times communicating with theatmosphere and a cylinder oneend of which communicates with saidchamber, a valve-operable to connect said passage and chamber when thepressure in said pipe exceeds a predetermined value, and a piston insaid cylinder connected to said valve, said cylinder adapted to receivean entrapped gaseous body to support said piston and .yieldingly holdsaid valve in closed position.

15. A relief valve, comprising a casing having a passage for connectionto a supply pipe, a chamber at all times communicating with theatmosphere and a cylinder one end of which communicates with saidchamber, a valve operable to connect said. passage and chamber When thepressure in said pipe exceeds a predetermined value, and a piston insaid cylinder connected to said valve,-said cylinder adapted to receivean entrapped gaseous body to support said piston and yieldingly holdsaid valve in closed position, the adjacent faces of said valve andpiston being equal in area, Whereby the effect of atmospheric pressureon the relief valve is neutralized.

FREDERICK (1.. GUERRLICH. Witnesses:

Mrs-R. L. OFFEN, MOLLIE GALLOWAY.

